Please explain Romans 3:28-29.

In order to understand these verses, it will be helpful to consider Romans 3:19-26: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (NKJV).

This passage reveals why God gave the law to the nation of Israel. Israel was a SAMPLE OF THE HUMAN RACE and God tested them to see if they could keep His law. But they failed to keep it! This proved that all men are “GUILTY BEFORE GOD.” Because of this no one will ever be righteous in God’s sight through the law, for instead of the law making men righteous, it revealed to them their sin.

After stating the BAD NEWS, God gives us the GOOD NEWS! Verse 21 declares, “But now the righteousness of God, apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.” What the Law could never do, Jesus Christ has done! The Law demanded that sinners die and in love for sinners Jesus Christ died to make us righteous in God’s sight through simple faith in Him. He did this for all men, Jews and Gentiles, “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Whoever believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior is “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Now we are prepared to look at Romans 3:27-30. It reads, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith” (NKJV). I often ask people the question, “Are you going to heaven when you die?” Some respond by saying, “I hope so.” I then ask them, “What do you trust in to get you to heaven?” Sadly, most people will reply, “I am trying to keep the Ten Commandments,” or “I go to church every week,” or some other response where they are boasting of their own good works and trusting in them to make them righteous in God’s sight. But we saw clearly in verses 19-26 that if men are going to be righteous in God’s sight it is NOT by keeping the law, but by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior. So, “Boasting…is excluded. By what law?…by the law of faith.” This is the ONLY WAY God can justify the sinner, whether it be the Jew or the Gentile.

We just saw that “Boasting…is excluded…by the law of faith,” but there is one thing the believer can boast in. Can you guess what I’m thinking of? The apostle Paul gives us the answer in Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV). We CAN BOAST in our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and of what He did on the cross to save us! In fact, we will spend eternity boasting in Him, as we see in Revelation 5:9 & 12, “You are worthy…for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation…worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing” (NKJV). Will you be there boasting in the Lamb who was slain on the cross of Calvary? (193.7) (DO)